Happy Anniversary, Mama & Daddy!

Congratulations on 42 wonderful years and here's to 42 more!!!

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

We are so pleased with our Christmas photo this year! It sure is great to have a photographer in the family! ;) Luckily Mike caught this millisecond in time. Lee was running all over creation and Jessalyn wasn't as cooperative as she's been in years past.

Here are some of the "outs" when the shepherd was bopping the angel on the head with his crook:

Christmas Eve Eve

Today the children and I went to see Maka, Grandandy, and my

brother George and his family who just got in for Christmas. It was a

great visit and the children especially enjoyed each other's company.

21-month-old Lee and 18-month-old Lottie

Uncle George and the girls (and the tinies in the background)

 

Feats of strength!!!

 4 1/2-year-old Anna Grace and  5 1/2-year-old Jessalyn

Cookies with Kelly

Yesterday Jessalyn and I travelled 30 miles south to make cookies with my long-time friend (since 7th grade!), Kelly. This is our annual tradition. We make super yummy glazed cracker cookies. Next year we'll bake in my new kitchen!!!!!

First Place!

Jessalyn's reading fair project got first prize! She's very excited and we're very proud of her. And there's more good news....her cousin, Russ, who is in the first grade, also got first place! When she saw Russ' ribbon, she said, "Russ and I both rock!"

Santa and Wish Lists

Let me start by saying that I wasn't sure if we were going to get a photo of the kids with Santa this year. Last year's photo took weeks of major bribing and a list of conditions by Jessalyn ("He can't look at me, I won't sit on his lap, I'll only stand next to him, I won't talk to him, I'll write him a letter but you have to hand it to him, he can't wear his glasses, I don't want him to talk to me..."). The year before I couldn't pay Jessalyn to be in the same building with Santa, much less sit on his lap.

This year Jessalyn wasn't too keen on the idea all over again. I'd make a nonchalant suggestion every now and then which would be immediately shot down (even though I reminded her how brave she was last year and how nice Santa was to her). Before I had a chance to think up a really great bribe, Jessalyn declared that she would take a photo with Santa. "What changed your mind?" I asked. "Well, when I sit on Santa's lap, I'm going to ask him if he's the real Santa, or one of Santa's helpers."  "That's a good question," I replied. Gulp. I wonder if Santa has gotten that one before.

Now, for the request. Jessalyn has been asking for a puppy for the past few months. I told her that we had two cats and we weren't getting a puppy. "OK, but when can I get a puppy!?" "Not for a long time, if we ever get a puppy." "But I really, really, really want one!"

Her first written request of Santa:

In case you're having trouble deciphering this jumbled letter, it reads (or what it's supposed to say is) "Santa I want a real dog."

Fast-forward several weeks. We are shopping at our favorite and most-frequented spot, Wally-World, when Jessalyn spies a toy dog. And not just any toy dog, but a dog that barks, walks and plays tug-of-war: Lucky, the Incredible Wonder Pup. "Oh, Mama, I want him! We have to get him!" I kindly explain to her that we don't buy toys when we go to the store, especially this close to Christmas. "But, but, but...." Sulky face. It is our practice, however, to pick out a toy to admire and play with during our shopping excursion and then put back on the shelf before it is time to go. As Jessalyn is holding and pining over Lucky, she declares, "Mama, I hate to tell you this, but it says, 'Take Me Home!'" Drat those reading skills! "Yes, it does say 'Take Me Home!', but we're not taking him home. You can ask Santa for him if you really want him that badly."

Her second written request of Santa:

"Dear Santa I rally rally rally rally rally want a dog. A toy that walks and plays tug of war. Jessalyn." "I love you, love Jessalyn." The drawing is of a reindeer and the wonder pup.

Jessalyn's class took a field trip to the bank last week to meet Santa. Here is Jessalyn making her request for Lucky:

She forgot to ask him if he was the real deal, though.

Then I got my chance to get a photo of Jessalyn and Lee with Santa together. Jessalyn did great. Lee did, too, but wasn't too thrilled about the situation. At least he waited until the photo was over to start crying.

We still have lots of fun stuff to look forward to this Christmas season including Jessalyn's youth choir performance, get-togethers with friends, school Christmas parties, baking cookies, visiting with family and much, much more. Stay tuned...

Christmas Tree Farm

We went to get our Christmas tree last weekend and had a great time. Jessalyn was playing hide-and-seek with the big boys, so I didn't get any good pictures of her. But I got a couple of cute ones of Lee and two of his four cousins who came along.

Lee and Russ

Lee and JJ

Curly Top

Reading Fair

Jessalyn has been working on her reading fair project, which she turned in today. She dressed for the occasion as the book's main character, a little black dog named Hairy Maclary. In the book Scarface Claw, the biggest cat in the neighborhood, is out exploring when he gets stuck up a tree. The noise is terrible - so terrible that it draws Hairy Maclary and all his friends from Donaldson's Dairy to investigate. We love all the books in the Hairy Maclary series. If you have young children, I highly recommend checking them out!

The judges will interview Jessalyn on her work today and will get to see her enthusiasm for the book and for dressing the part! If she wins first place she will get to advance onto the district competition. I'll keep you posted! :)

"Jessie Maclary"

Book cover.

This is her rendition of Hairy Maclary. I think it's pretty good!

The project.

Close up.